Shoe fitting device



Dec. 18, 1934. E. J. BLISS SHOE FITTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 26, 1933jz'iverzfor 15.}.1ZMM b3 mwe,

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Patented Dec. 18, 1934 v vsno i-Frrrimreruzvrcii Elmer J. Bliss; Boston,Mass; ag ignorte'j-negall 'ShoeCompany Whitman; Masa a corporation ofMassachusetts 3 j ApplieationDecember 26 I v I 5'Clainis.

. "This invention:relatestothe measurement of feet for the purpose offitting-rshoes and is'in-r tended to provide a" simple, compact andconvenient device of inexpensive construction which isca-pable ofuseful, quickly and accuratelyascertaini'ng both thelength and the width"Size measurementsof-feetwwhen in; the expanded or extended positionsuch as 'the feet assume when carrying the weight of the person inwalkin vGenerally speaking, the present improvemen embraces anapproximately sector-shaped length gauging plate orzmembenprovided atits arcuate :edge with a; series of upturned toe gauging membersarranged atdifierent distances from acom mon center incorrespondencewith a progressive series of length size measurements,according 'to a basic. or standard" scale, combined with afootsupporting, plate or member pivotally mounted toswing aboutsaid-centerand having oppositely flared-width size gauging membersso-correlated with the length'ofithe foot that an, accurate indicationo'fboth length andiwidth measurementsis obtained by direct reading ofthe size indicating in" the accompanying drawing. is illustrated asimpleand effective embodiment of the principles of this invention,- inwhich I --Fig. 1 is a plan view showing theg footfsupportivided withupturnedctoe gauging members intended to secure the same results thatare efiected by the present device,- but thatparticularform ofconstruction disclosed in my said earlier application involved the useofa considerably greater amount, of metal and was very much less compactthan is the present form which embodies a similar principle.. I 1 .v 4

In the practice of the invention according to theform hereinillustrated, provide an approximately sector-shaped 'pa'nl which isprovided near its apex with 'afulcral guiding member 2, in this case,comprisinga cylindrical cuplike member 'suitablysecured, as-by rivets,the apical portionof the pan; At intervals along'the arcuate orperipheral edge opposite the centralizing guide 2 a series ofradially'ofiset toe gauging lips 3 is formed by upturning relativelynarrow portions'o'f the metallic pan. These upturned lips1933;stalwarts-tat or gauge members may of course beformed in anyappropriate manner so long as theycform' anupward projection adaptedto'abutzagainst the, toe of a foot being measuredi' vA full size devicewill have-these toe gauging members arrangedin a progressively offsetseries, v eachone being inch farther-,fromthe radial; center than theone to the left of it,-sin ce in'f'oot-measuring the dinerence' betweenone lengthzisize and-the next full length size amounts to A; inch. Thenumber of tee gauginglips '3 that will beprovidedon "any plate or pandepends upon the range v of foot measurements for whichxthe pan-isintended. I

Coordinated with this-length gauging pan-is a foot-receivingor.foot.,-supporting,plate or member! 4 pref'erablyuhaving ant-elevatedor raised heel? portion 4 so that the raisingaof the-heel tends to throwthe weightpof .the,.pe n a din on the 1 measuring device slightlyforward forthe purpose of; causing expansion or extension ofprovidedwith an upstandingheel gauge ,5 against whichith'e' heel of thefoot should always contact when the foot-is being measured, i

, 'I'he forepartof thefoot-receivingand width- 1 gauging member isprovided with upstanding,

forwardly flared flanges =6 constituting widthv:

gauging c members which diverge according to a denniteratio.'Asaiswellknown to those skilled in the 'art,-while length sizes in foomeasuring step upeby increments of 1 inch FfOl the overall length'measurement,the *ball;length,jthat is,

the length, from the heel tothe ball joint, isv en- 'erally-assumed tobe equal :to ogf the over-all length, hence thelength increments of.ball length measurement of a No. 8 foot is 2/9 inch, instead oi -y,:inch. :.'.-;As:is also.,well "known; width size measurements increaseby; successive stages or increments: equal .to inch. Widthsize-increments'arekdesignat'ed eitherby letters,;A,-B, C etc.ior-by'numerals, '1, 2, 3, 4; etc., but these width size symbols, unlikea the 1 length size symhols," are variable since'a No. 8-C foot has 'a'width'measurement 'in'ch greater-than a foot designated as NOMIs-Cia'ndfilinch less width measurement than afoot designated as No.'9-C.

Consequently; :in'alayingvout the "divergent side gauges 6, thedivergence for ea'ch279 inch from theheelrgauge would increasew inch, sothat aNo. 8 foot,=let us say, ofcE'width would form gauging contactacross;the ball thereof with the flanges v6, while a No. 7 -.E footwould likewise a series of gauging strips 7 pivotally connected at theirforward ends to the side gauges or flanges 6 by means of transverserivets 6*. There are four such width-gauging members shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawing. When they are all raised or thrown forward, so that thereis gauging contact between the flanges 6 and the opposite sides of theball portion of the foot, theywill 'signify,-'

in this case, that the interposedv foot gauging against the heel gauge 5hasan E width, while its length is determined by the engagement of thetip of the toe with the appropriate length size gauging lip.

If the foot does not form gauging contact'with the flanges 6, then oneor more of the widthgauging members roan be shifted into gaugingposition until gauging contact is established against opposite sides ofthe. foot. As these gauging strips or members are made flinch inthickness, it will be seen that when all four 'of them are in gaugingposition, as shown in Fig. 1, the width gauge indication then will.signify an A width; with three of them in gauging position theindication or reading will indicate a B width, and so on. v

To facilitate the slidingof the width-gauging and foot-receiving member4, I prefertoprovide ball domes 8 riveted to the underside of theforepartof the width-gauging member 4.

In practice, the foot to be measured is placed upon the width-gaugingmember 4-with the heel resting in contact with the heel gauge 5 and thefoot is turned until the forwardly projecting'tip of the great toegrazes the appropriate lengthgauging lip 3. The width-gauging strips arethen manipulated'to give a proper gauging contact with the oppositesides of the ball portion of the foot and the reading is then taken fromthe. toe gauge scale and according to the number of width-gauging strips.in gauging position. Numerals are frequently used now aswidthindicating symbols and in that case when all the width gauges are ingauging or active position according to the present illustration thatwould indicate a No. 1 width and the inside widthgauge on the leftsideis provided with a single mark. If, in order to-properly gauge thewidth, this No. 1 gauge is moved to inactive position, the size thenindicated would be No. 2 markedon the inside gauge at the right. If itbe required to move'this gauge to inactive position to secure correctwidth-gauging, then the lowest number of'the remaining gauges is 3,equivalent to a width.

Of course it is i portant that the two cd-acting members be accuratelypositioned with reference to each other so that they will always have acommon pivotal center. This fulcral joint may be constructed in anydesired manner, but in. the present case I have shown a cup 9 with acylindrical flange snugly fitting around the cylindrical flange of thepivot member 2 and riveted to the bottom of'the heel portion of thewidthgauging member, so as'to have a telescopic engagement with thefulcral member. 2. This permits quick detachment of the two members andequally quick assemblage. The device is compact and requiresconsiderably less material in its construction than does the earlierform of the invention disclosed in my aforesaid pending application.

'What I claim is:

1. A foot measuringdevice embracing in its construction an approximatelysector-shaped length-gauging member having arranged along its peripheraledge an arcuate series of radially offset toe-gauging members and afoot-receiving and positioning plate pivotally: connected at its heelsupporting portion with the apical portion of said sector, and beingprovided with divergent width-gauging members arranged to form gaugingcontact with opposite sides of the ball portion "of an inserted foot toindicate in conjunction approximately sector-shape provided along itsarcuate edge with a series of upturned toe-gauging lips arranged,respectively, at progressively greater radialdistances" from' a commoncenter, and a foot-receiving, width-gauging element whose rear portionis provided'with a heel stop and is'pivotally connected with said sectorelement at the heel portion, said foot-receiving element being providedat its opposite sides with upstanding width gauges for ascertaining inconjunction with the appropriate toe-gauging lip the width sizemeasurement of an inserted foot. 3. A foot measuring device embracing incombination a sector-shaped plate having an arcuate series of upwardlyprojecting fixed toe-gauging members arranged at progressively increasedradial distances from a common center located in the apical portion ofthe plate and a foot-receiving element having pivotal connection withsaid plate to permit its pivotal movement, about the heel portion ofsaid plate, said foot-receiving element being provided at its oppositesides with adjustable width-gauging members for indicating inconjunction with the appropriate toe-gauging lip the length and widthmeasurements of an inserted foot. 7

4. A foot measuring device embracing in combination an approximatelysector-shaped sheet 'metal'plate provided with an arcuate series of inga raised heel portion having pivotal connection with said guide memberand having at its rear edge an upturned heel stop, the forward portiono'isaid foot positioning member being provided with divergent upturnedwidth calipering flangesand a'series of cooperating gauges pivotallyconnected with said flanges to be folded inside the flanges and removedaway from said flanges, thereby providing means for accurately gaugingthe ball width of an inserted foot in conjunction with the appropriatetoe-gauging lip and thus indicate the length and width size measurementsof the foot; i

, 5. 'A foot measuring device embracing a plate prov'ided'with anarcuate series of upstanding toe gauges arranged at progressivelyincreased distances. from a common center, and a foot-positioning widthmeasuring element having swivelled connection with said plate and havingat its rear end a heel gauging stop forming in conjunction with theappropriate toe-gauging lip a size length caliper and adjustablewidth-gauging members arranged on opposite sides of the forepart of saidfoot-positioning member to indicate the width size measurement of aninserted foot, said forepart being provided with underneath castor domesfor slidingly supporting the forepart upon said plate. z

' ELMER J. BLISS.

